Top bar advertising

[TalkinBoutWhat]

MN, PLEASE fix this advertising bar at the top of the computer screen.

It is so large, that I can't actually click on any of the MN links that are at the top of the page. (eg, active, I'm on, etc).

Right now, on Site Stuff, I can't even click 'Site Stuff' to get other threads in this section. It's hidden by the ad, which is NOT scrolling up and away the way I've seen others do. It's just sitting there. The ONLY threads I can get onto are the active ones on the right hand side of the screen, and only the ones lower down the list as the top ones are hidden by the Ad. (Experian and Marks and Spencers, are the two so far....)

You did this before, we all complained, you apologised and said it shouldn't have been loaded on as you were testing something new. I really hope this was a mistake, because it is IMPOSSIBLE to navigate the site.

It is great news to hear that it won't remain for every page change, as I really cannot bear it
I was still having the wrap around adverts last night. I posted a screen shot

Hang on JustineMN- I really resent the "freeloading" comment.

AFAIK there's nothing in the MN guidelines that says users should not block ads. We all use the internet in very different ways, and what works for one user won't work for another.

FWIW I don't use an ad blocker because they tend to interfere with a couple of other sites I use, but I never ever click (deliberately) on the ad. Partly because they are seldom of interest to me, partly because I find it creepy that if I search for flights to Paris on Expedia one day, the next day ads for hotels in Paris are being pushed at me through MN the next day. I know how and why the system works, but I don't like it and refuse to engage with it.

Meanwhile, I am a reasonably long standing MNer who posts a fair bit (probably more than I should at the moment...). I reckon that this helps MN by keeping the activity up, responding to threads and therefore encouraging other users to post and keep responding themselves. Heck, occasionally I might even post something really useful to other MNers. I even report trolly threads and posts, including during the night. I think I'm a pretty decent MNer all in all.

So I'm sure you didn't mean to insult us by calling us freeloaders, but your choice of words was pretty crass.

@OlennasWimple

Hang on JustineMN- I really resent the "freeloading" comment.

AFAIK there's nothing in the MN guidelines that says users should not block ads. We all use the internet in very different ways, and what works for one user won't work for another.

FWIW I don't use an ad blocker because they tend to interfere with a couple of other sites I use, but I never ever click (deliberately) on the ad. Partly because they are seldom of interest to me, partly because I find it creepy that if I search for flights to Paris on Expedia one day, the next day ads for hotels in Paris are being pushed at me through MN the next day. I know how and why the system works, but I don't like it and refuse to engage with it.

Meanwhile, I am a reasonably long standing MNer who posts a fair bit (probably more than I should at the moment...). I reckon that this helps MN by keeping the activity up, responding to threads and therefore encouraging other users to post and keep responding themselves. Heck, occasionally I might even post something really useful to other MNers. I even report trolly threads and posts, including during the night. I think I'm a pretty decent MNer all in all.

So I'm sure you didn't mean to insult us by calling us freeloaders, but your choice of words was pretty crass.

I didn't actually say freeloading, I said free-riding - which is a slightly different well known economic dilemma. Really not trying to knock your contribution Olennas, but of course if everyone took the same stance on adblockers we'd struggle. (Although I also agree that posting advice is also a valuable contribution and maybe something we can try to consider if we were to introduce an alternative subscription/premium model)

I have this hell. MNHQ - I thought you said the wrap around ads had gone?

The changes we've made are because our ads are display being penalised for their lack of view ability. Essentially advertisers are insisting that the ads stay on screen for at least 5 seconds even when you scroll. You'll notice that pretty much all ad funded sites now have these same ad formats - The Guardian, Telegraph, Daily Mirror - we're pretty late to the game to be honest.

Nothing to do with this then?

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/top-brands-pull-ads-as-mumsnet-users-turn-the-air-blue-confused-com-bulgari-national-trust-prjv0rlgd

[quote ToadTheVampireThreadKiller]The changes we've made are because our ads are display being penalised for their lack of view ability. Essentially advertisers are insisting that the ads stay on screen for at least 5 seconds even when you scroll. You'll notice that pretty much all ad funded sites now have these same ad formats - The Guardian, Telegraph, Daily Mirror - we're pretty late to the game to be honest.

Nothing to do with this then?

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/top-brands-pull-ads-as-mumsnet-users-turn-the-air-blue-confused-com-bulgari-national-trust-prjv0rlgd[/quote]

No nothing! (that article was a pile of tosh tbh)

I hate this introduction, it is driving me nuts!

The problem with the annoying white thing at the top or the ad that is there when it isn't blocked is that is stays there making it difficult to read the page until it decides to slide up to the top.

I can't cope with things that make random noises or auto play or flash at me.

I turn the ad blocker on and off depending on the site I am using, but usually on mainly for Ebay and Mumsnet because there is just too much gong on and it is in my face (and eyes).

If the companies are not making money from the ads it is because people don't want to see them, they are intrusive. If they were scaled down to a reasonable size and didn't flash and bounce around I wouldn't need to hide them although I would never click on them anyway.

@clownfaces

I have this hell. MNHQ - I thought you said the wrap around ads had gone?

Ah yes we will still have a few - we've stopped taking them programatically (that's the automatic route that most of ads are sold by), as said, but there will still be the odd one or two that are sold direct. They should be much less prevalent though. (And we are working on making them a bit more beautiful).

No nothing! (that article was a pile of tosh tbh)

However, people have read it, and the other papers, and it is still out there for all to see.

Really really hate it

@ToadTheVampireThreadKiller

The problem with the annoying white thing at the top or the ad that is there when it isn't blocked is that is stays there making it difficult to read the page until it decides to slide up to the top.

I can't cope with things that make random noises or auto play or flash at me.

I turn the ad blocker on and off depending on the site I am using, but usually on mainly for Ebay and Mumsnet because there is just too much gong on and it is in my face (and eyes).

If the companies are not making money from the ads it is because people don't want to see them, they are intrusive. If they were scaled down to a reasonable size and didn't flash and bounce around I wouldn't need to hide them although I would never click on them anyway.

As said we're looking at introducing alternative premium options but I don't think ours are worse than your average site and better than most. We'd love to move to a more native solution (like facebook sponsored posts) but there's been a fair bit of negativity around our experiments in that area. We'll certainly keep trying other options though with a view to moving to be less reliant on display advertising (which I agree is not ideal) over time, as I mentioned.

@ToadTheVampireThreadKiller

No nothing! (that article was a pile of tosh tbh)

However, people have read it, and the other papers, and it is still out there for all to see.

Doesn't seem to have affected advertisers though - I think most understand the value of authenticity - and there have been other articles saying as much. Plus I got a personal apology from Confused.com for their quote the piece. But fingers crossed it's not all about to cave in...

Apologies for the free riding / free loading mix up.

My point still stands...

I strongly suspect that most MNers try to ignore the ads too. I'd bet good money that most of the "click throughs" are inadvertant

Personally I'd be happy to pay for an ad free version (provided that some system could be devised to keep payment details separate from user name info), though I know not everyone agrees.

Thank you Justine for the reply. I have my MN screen sized so that I don't have to see the thing. It's horrid.

I would not pay to use the site, I do spend too much of my days on here but I could go back to not using it. I would find other things to read, maybe not join in with but to read.

For me the best solution would be ads that don't interfere with the use of the site, that means no flashing, moving, noisy and huge ads. I have only a couple of times looked at the recipes on the side and the only time I have seen more from the top banner ads is by activating them by mistake.

The ads are everywhere, not just on here, people really don't want to see them, otherwise no-one would use adblockers. Forcing us to see them by making them intrusive isn't going to work, and making it a nice exclusive site by charging for it may not go so well either.

Time will tell. Nothing lasts for ever...

I just close my eyes whenever one appears and so far today Ive had umpteen cat naps that have gone on far longer than 5 seconds.

I even missed my stop on the bus.

This may be the straw that broke th camel's back with regard to the advertising. This is getting ridiculous!

For me, and many others i'm sure, MN is not just another web site. Please don't measure it by the low standards of lots of other sites

I think that's a fair comment. You don't really need to use Daily Mail type advertising, particularly as it isn't really about 'keeping the lights on'. A simple web search shows that Mumsnet is actually a very profitable enterprise. No harm in that of course, but perhaps the continuing urge to serve more adverts could be scaled back just a little?

For me, and many others i'm sure, MN is not just another web site. Please don't measure it by the low standards of lots of other sites

Actually many of the other sites are on far superior platforms. It took me a while to get used to how basic the functions are on here, especilly with regard to threads you are on - why doesn't it automatically reset when you have read it, and you have to specifically click bookmark? It is the only site I have been on that doesn't automatically rememeber where you were up to on a thread

Ads are an issue if you are using mobile data. I've noticed since mumsnet became more ad heavy, especially the animated ads, it uses a lot more data to browse the site. I'm basically paying to be advertised at. I don't use the site when I'm not on Wi-Fi any more. I deliberately avoid sites with lots of videos and images when I'm using data.

I'm confused, is this horror here to stay?

Just give us a flat rate of how much revenue you would like us individually to bring in on an annual basis. Then we can weigh up whether we want to put up with the trolls, fantasists, perverts, malgorithms and garish ads for the money.

Hating it, it's infuriating.

"I think most understand the value of authenticity"

The irony on a website full of trolls.